We didn't make it far into the city at all before we came across a few Nords harassing one of the Dunmer that had settled in the city after fleeing to Skyrim.
"You come to our city, steal our jobs and think you can just walk around without a care!? We gave you the gray quarter so stay there!" One of the Nords yelled harshly at the Dunmer woman frightfully holding a basket of bread.
I made eye contact with the woman and winked before I used a [gust] spell to blow over the Nords "coincidentally" as she stepped back letting her leave.-
The Nords cursed and a couple of them looked like they wanted to chase after the woman but were stopped by the others. Those ones were likely aware enough to know that there was a VERY big difference between ganging up on a defenseless woman where no one would step in and doing the same in a place surrounded by her people. The moment she ducked into the Gray quarter she was out of their reach unless they wanted to risk "mysteriously" vanishing. It clearly annoyed them but at least they were smart enough to let the matter end there.-
"It is a good thing you have done. Even if you receive no thanks for it." Dar-La says from near my feet.
"I don't like bullies." I said dismissively before we continued our trip towards the inn at the center of the city.
Candlehearth hall was a large stone building built in the old way a longhouse would be and then converted to an inn on the inside. It was a place adventurers, locals, or just normal travelers could come to escape the constant cold air outside, eat a hot meal and perhaps rest in an actual bed. We got a brief glance when we stepped in from the cold but the inn keeper was professional and kept a straight face.-
"Thirty gold per room per night, meals and drink cost extra." The older brunette Nord woman said calmly.
"Two rooms, one with double beds. Please." I said politely.
The woman's eyes narrowed to pinpoints at the rumble of my voice as she sized me up before eventually answering.
"Seventy gold, the extra bed is ten more." she said stiffly.
I nodded and counted out the coin real fast before setting it on the counter.
"The last two rooms on the left, here's your keys." she said after taking the coin and passed two iron keys over the counter.
I nodded and took the keys before walking towards the rooms.
"I'll bunk with Ra-Do and you two ladies can take the other room. Good?" I asked and got nods all around.
Once we reached the rooms and figured out which had the single bed and which the double beds we split up and I wasted no time at all crashing onto my bed. I was fine sleeping on a bedroll but it was still hard and thus uncomfortable.-
A real bed after about a week and a half of that was downright heavenly. I was out like a light in no time at all. I totally ignored the fact I had skipped dinner in favor of a proper good nights sleep in a bed. In the morning I woke up with a yawn and stretch before rinsing my face and getting ready to head out into the city proper. I didn't bother the others as I stepped out and felt the snow blowing wind press against me looking for some opening to rob me of warmth.-
My Nord heritage meant I felt the cold but was otherwise not that effected by it as I stepped outside. Don't get me wrong a Nord could still very much freeze to death naturally but it took a long time of raw exposure to do it. Without hesitation I headed west as that was the market area. The inn and this market were in the stone quarter of the city which was a mix of central and bottom left areas. Interestingly in the city you could see the occasional mer of some types going about their business. -
This was as far as I could see because the Nords weren't really suppressing the races like you would expect from that first interaction I had. If I had to guess I'd say it was mostly tension from the Dunmer not conforming to the ways of Windhelm's people and stubbornly sticking to their own ways from Morrowwind. The fact that nearly half the city had been all but given to the refugees was also probably a very sore point as well. One big cultural difference was the worship of daedra that the Dunmer people had. -
Specifically Mephala, Boethiah and Azura. For good reason this practice made most other races uncomfortable, daedric princes were bad news almost ninety five percent of the time after all. Anyways I spotted several Dunmer running errands without any real trouble and even an Altmer running a stand in the market. My size drew some eyes but otherwise nobody bothered me as I walked up to the general store with a sign out front labeled "the frozen coin". I pushed open the door and walked in as a small bell chimed.
"Welcome, please come in, browse a little. Feel free to ask me if you need anything!" A cheery woman's voice called out.
I looked at the source and to my surprise saw a small Bosmer woman manning the counter. A familiar Bosmer no less.
"Auri? I thought you set off for greener pastures after the guild started falling off?" I said surprised to see her here.
"Alexan! Last time I saw you you were only a bit taller than me and look at you now! What on Earth have they been feeding you over there?" she exclaimed in shock once she recognized me.
"The usual fare, still didn't answer me about why you are here." I said with a grin.
"By Y'ffre you grew up into a looker, almost regret not trying to grab you before." she said with a sigh.
"You do realize I was a child and like well over a decade younger than you right?" I asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"Bah, i'm an elf. The age difference is only weird if you were fifty years my junior. Besides obviously I wouldn't try and seduce a child, I do have standards. Doesn't mean grooming was off the table though. Pretty common actually, especially for arranged marriages." she said with a regretful tone.
"Right, good to know I suppose. But seriously why are you here of all places?" I asked getting the conversation back on track.
"Oh that? I took over for the old fellow who used to run the place after hanging up most of the thievery stuff. Was going to coast along on my nest egg of wealth from all those heists I pulled but most of it goes to running this place. Not as exciting but way safer." she said bored already.